


In the Firelight

by LeastExpected_Archivist



Series: Pagan Shire [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-04
Updated: 2002-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:08:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26454667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeastExpected_Archivist/pseuds/LeastExpected_Archivist
Summary: by TimberwolfAh, but that'd be telling. ;)
Relationships: Frodo Baggins/Sam Gamgee
Series: Pagan Shire [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1923031
Kudos: 2
Collections: Least Expected





	In the Firelight

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Amy Fortuna, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Least Expected](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Least_Expected), which has been offline since 2002. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on the [Least Expected collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/leastexpected/profile).
> 
> Disclaimer: This is written for my own enjoyment and  
> that of other like-minded folk, and not intended to infringe on the copyright held by the estate of the late J.R.R. Tolkien.
> 
> Story Notes: Third in the 'Pagan Shire' series inspired by "Letters over the Sea". Thanks to Bron for suggestions made many moons back, and also to Zig, Cara and Kelly for more recent betaing.

Sam stirred, conscious of warmth, soft skin, faintly sticky with salt, and a familiar, muchloved and long-missed scent. Smiling to himself, he nuzzled into the nearest bit of available skin.

The figure against him stirred, making a contented sound. "Sam?"

"Mmm," said Sam, nuzzling into the hollow of Frodo's throat.

"Sam?" asked Frodo as Sam's lips travelled up his throat to his jawline.

"That's m'name," said Sam as he hitched himself further up to cover Frodo's body, his lips brushing over his once, twice, thrice.

"Oh Sam," sighed Frodo, before his mouth opened beneath Sam's in surrender.

Sam sighed with sheer happiness as Frodo's arms came up to wrap around his shoulders....

...and then Frodo stretched languorously beneath him.

Sam turned his face into Frodo's throat, inhaling the familiar scent, pressing his parted lips to the soft, salty skin.

Frodo ran one hand slowly down Sam's back, causing Sam to stifle a moan in the hollow of Frodo's throat.

And all impulse to merely lie with each other in drowsy contentment was lost.

%%%%%

"I wasn't expecting this to happen," said Sam drowsily, snuggling against Frodo in the languid afterglow.

Beneath him, Frodo stiffened. "Do you regret it?"

"No! No," Sam reassured him. stretching up to kiss him on the lips.

"Then what?" asked Frodo, nevertheless accepting and responding to the quick but affectionate peck.

"I just... never expected nowt like _this_ to happen -- what?" he exclaimed, as Frodo jerked in shock.

"I thought you said you loved me."

"Of _course_ I love you," retorted Sam, propping himself up on one elbow. "I just didn't know I loved you _that_ way." At Frodo's wounded look, he continued, "Well, did you?"

"Well, no..." Frodo admitted, looking thoughtful. "Well, I didn't know it could be..."

"What?"

"That we _could_ love each other like that." As Sam's surprised look, he burst out, "Well don't you think it's odd?"

Sam shrugged. "I never gave it no thought. I just thought we felt what we felt because we've been through so much together... " His voice trailed off in thought, then he burst out "Well, surely there can't be _no_ others?"

"Well, can you think of any?" retorted Frodo.

"None as I've heard _tell_ of..." said Sam.

"Well, there you are. There are others who have been away together. You don't hear about _them_ doing what we just did, do you?"

"Do you think _that_ would be in the old songs?" retorted Sam. "Not in the ones sung in the halls of the Elves, anyway."

Frodo gave him an incredulous look, then suddenly burst out laughing, hard enough to have to wipe his eyes.

"What?" said Sam impatiently, once Frodo could draw breath to speak.

"I was just thinking..." gasped Frodo, "of a few of the songs you hear late in the inns... sung in, say, Rivendell."

Sam gave _him_ an incredulous look, then collapsed laughing himself, thinking of a few samples he'd heard in his time.

"So, it doesn't seem wrong to you?" said Frodo, once they'd wound down enough to keep a sober demeanour.

"Does it to you?" asked Sam apprehensively.

Frodo shook his head slowly. "No... you'd think it should, but it doesn't. But I was asking _you._ "

"No," said Sam thoughtfully. "Nothing that feels _this_ right could be wrong. Even if we're the only ones ever -- and I don't see how we _could_ be -- it can't be wrong."

Frodo kissed him for that. Hard.

"But what about Rose?" asked Frodo, once they came up for air.

"Rose?" asked Sam, still somewhat hazy and consequentially puzzled.

"Rose. Your wife, Rose. Have you forgotten you're married to her?"

"Of course not," Sam snapped back. "I was _thinking_ on it, that's all."

"Well?" said Frodo. "Think harder. *Something's* got to be worked out."

"Well I'm not giving you up, and that's flat," Sam snapped. "So don't you even think of it."

"I wasn't," said Frodo with equal determination. "But you're not leaving your family either -- "

"Lor', no. I couldn't."

" -- so how do you justify _us?_ "

"Well," said Sam thoughtfully, "it seems different."

"I fail to see how," said Frodo with some hauteur.

"Well "have you forgotten I said 'I love you both?'" retorted Sam, stung. "Or have you forgotten _that_ in your trip over Sea?"

"I remember _that,_ " retorted Frodo. "So it doesn't ...?" He trailed off, lost in thought.

"Doesn't _what?_ " snapped Sam.

"Doesn't... I don't know. Doesn't seem to be in the same category, is what I'm trying too say."

"I suppose it should seem like I'm breaking my marriage vows," said Sam thoughtfully.

"It doesn't?"

"No, it doesn't nohow. I can see how it _should_ , but -- " He broke off, making a noise of frustration and burying his fingers in his curls, gripping his head fast.

"But what?" asked Frodo gently.

"I love her. I'm married to her. I love you. I can't be wed to you but I feel I may as well be. It's like... I'm not cheating on her, I'm with you _both._ "

"Oh," said Frodo thoughtfully.

"I love you both," said Sam miserably. "I want you both. I can't choose between you. Don't make me choose. Because I can't. I just *can't.*"

"Oh Sam," said Frodo, sliding his arms around Sam as tears began to trickle down his cheeks. "Don't cry. It's all right. Shh. It's all right."

"I'm sorry," said Sam miserably. "It's not fair on you. And _not_ fair on her. But I can't give you up. Not now I've got you back again."

"Shhh," said Frodo, kissing his temple and blotting his own tears on Sam's curls. "We'll work something out. Oh, Sam. Hush now. Don't cry. Please don't. We'll..." he continued as Sam tried to control his tears, "...just -- enjoy this time for _us._ And worry about later, later."

"That'd be best," said Sam, sniffing and snuggling against Frodo.

For a while they sat there in silence, Sam's head resting on Frodo's shoulder, Frodo's head bent over his, his cheek resting on Sam's tawny curls, their arms wrapped around each other, unconsciously rocking each other gently. Eventually, Frodo stirred, drawing a deep breath, then letting it out with a frustrated sigh.

"What?" said Sam fondly.

"So you... want me?" asked Frodo.

"You know I do," said Sam.

'Well I do now," said Frodo.

Sam chuckled at that and pressed his lips to Frodo's shoulder, then said diffidently, "And you ... you want me?"

"Oh, yes." said Frodo. "I didn't know until now, but I want you, all right."

"Oh," said Sam, a little flatly.

"What?" asked Frodo gently.

"Well... how do you want me?" asked Sam apprehensively.

"Well you know..." said Frodo.

"No, I don't know. Or I wouldn't be asking," retorted Sam.

"Well," said Frodo slowly, pressing his lips to the back of Sam's neck, "I love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

Sam drew back so he could look into Frodo's face. "But do you... you know... _want_ me?"

"Oh yes," said Frodo with a tender smile.

"Do you?" asked Sam, peering at him doubtfully.

"Of course I do," replied Frodo. Then, as Sam blushed and ducked his head, "Why, Sam. What's all this about?"

Shrugging, Sam said, "You do ... _want_ want me, don't you?"

"Well, Sam," said Frodo, blushing slightly. "Put it this way -- I don't think that was _only_ the cold before."

"Do you _really_ want _me?_ I mean... all this?" he asked, gesturing down his body.

"Oh, Sam," said Frodo, smiling tenderly at him. "Of course I do. You're beautiful."

"Frodo..." said Sam, abashed.

"Well you are," said Frodo, leaning in and kissing him with a mixture of tenderness and passion.

"So _how_... exactly... do you want me?" asked Sam, once they came up for air.

It was Frodo's turn to flush and shift. "Well, you know..."

"I don't," retorted Sam.

"Wellll..." said Frodo, sitting up and running his fingers through his hair.

"You don't," retorted Sam. "You're just humouring me -- "

"Sam," exclaimed Frodo, desperately grabbing Sam's hands and pulling him back as Sam tried  
to pull away. "Sam! Before, when I was drying you, I wanted to put the cloak aside and lick every droplet of water off your body. Is that _humouring_ you?"

Sam's mouth dropped open, he paled in shock, then flushed, his eyes meeting Frodo's in a desperate request for affirmation.

Frodo's gaze was intent, yet tender, as he met Sam's questioning gaze steadily, nodding even as he lifted Sam's hands to his lips. "Yes," he mouthed, before he pressed a kiss to the backs, then the palms, of Sam's brown hands.

Sam swallowed, closed his eyes and moaned, biting his lip, as his hands clenched around Frodo's paler ones.

"Let's go have another dip," he said, when he could speak again.

"Let's," said Frodo, giving Sam a slow, sensual smile and squeezing his hands, then tugging him to his feet and leading him down to the shoreline.

The dip was of short duration.

**END**


End file.
